


Blackest Eyes

by JokingReaper



Category: Hey Arnold!
Genre: Blackmail, Drama, F/M, Foreplay, Kissing, not safe for work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:14:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26155573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JokingReaper/pseuds/JokingReaper
Summary: Curly is "the creepy kid" in Arnold's class. Ronda despises him as much as the rest of the class. But when she loses her best friend, and her academic helper, she sees herself forced to be helped by Curly so she doesn't lose her current social status and keep her grades up. Little does she know that He will find a way to spin the situation and will blackmail her.Told from Ronda's First person perspective.
Relationships: Ronda Lloyd / Curly (Thaddeus Gammelthorpe), Thaddeus "Curly" Gammelthorpe/Rhonda Wellington Lloyd
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. Reputation

"He is so totally grose!" I said to Nadine in a whisper as soon as Curly looked in my direction. Nadine's blonde hair and dark skin seem so nice and cute. She would almost be the cutest girl in class. Second only to me. My straight and black hair and clear skin are unmatched to anyone's. After all, who could be prettier than Ronda Lloyd, the prettiest and richest girl of the whole school.

But Curly... he is the ostracised kid on the class. And for good reason. Never speaks, and just spends his time looking absentmidedly into what seems the nothingness... he is probably as empty headed as his empty stare. Everybody picks on him and he never fends back. If we were all in a social ladder, I would be on top, just right above Nadine, and he would be on the bottom.

"Yeah." said Nadine back to me "For some reason he always seems to be looking in your direction. But didn't you two went out together or something?"

"Oh don't even mention it. That was years ago. Worst week of my life... I already told you that I only did that to avoid a problem with my parents for staining my mom's birthday gift. He helped me to get rid of the stain, and then basically blackmailed me to go out with him... he is a creep."

Curly was always weird. But as time went on, he went from upfront weird into just a silent husk. It made it easier to ignore him now.

Curly passed just right next to me and Nadine today, and looked at me for a couple of seconds, and went on to the back of the bus. He always does that. I just try to forget completely of his existence.

"So, did you do the math homework?" I ask Nadine.

"Of course" she answers "Do you need to borrow it?"

"Well, I would have done mine, but you know how busy I am... Mom and dad took me to get some clothes and I just didn't have the time."

"Don't worry, I've got your back." Ah, Nadine... you are such a good friend... you always help me with the math homework... I hate math... It's so boring and dull. I don't understand a thing about it. But I don't have to. Nadine always lends me her homework, and helps me in the exams. She is always there for me. I will probably hire her when Daddy inherits me his business.

For the rest of the ride I spent the time copying Nadine's homework. I don't understand a thing, but I trust Nadine's skills, so why not just copying it verbatim?

\------------------------

As we entered the math classroom, me and Nadine took our seats at the back, were we could talk during the class. She always found a way to study late on. She never seemed troubled by our conversations in class.

While we were chatting before the teacher would arrive, Curly walked into the classroom, and Harold, the fat boy with a blue hat and a mean stare placed his foot in front of Curly's feet. The creepy kid fell down face first to the ground.

"Watch your step, four eyes!" said Harold to him. We all had a good chuckle at that. Curly just stood up and went on ahead as if nothing happened, and took his seat, once again staring at nothing. And then the teacher walked in.

"Good morning class." said the teacher Miss Jones. She is this year's math teacher. She looks like an old crazy cat lady. Probably can barely make ends meet with a teacher's salary. But at least she has never gotten in my way, so I don't really mind her much. "Today we have a special announcement." Oh good... probably another math exam this week... darn it... "The school has been revising the track record of the students for last year, and has selected a few students for advanced classes. So the students that will be mentioned, please stand up and head on to the front of the class."

Great... the little brainiacs and nerds of the year... the teacher proceeds to call the names of several of my classmates... I don't really care for any of them... and everyone knows that being in an advanced class is just so not cool.

"Thaddeus Gammelthorpe" I don't think I remember anyone with that name in the class... wait, isn't that the real name of... Yes... Of course it is... Curly stood up from his chair and went ahead of the class along the other brainiacs. The teacher kept calling some other names. Nothing major... until... "Nadine Normandy."

I saw as Nadine walked to the front of the class, standing just a couple of meters away from Curly and alongside the other nerds.

The teacher finished the list on Nadine. And then went ahead to give her speech about opportunities in the advanced class... yeah... opportunities to have your social life ruined.

"As you all know, you have an opportunity now to move ahead and have a bright future in the advanced classes. This of course will mean that you would have to leave this class, and your partners to go into a separate class. Because of this, you will be given the chance to stay here in the normal class with your classmates, if you desire it so. However, it is necessary to remind you that if you take the advanced class, you will have better opportunities in your future jobs hunting, and university applications."

No way in hell is Nadine going to take up on that... She is way too cool for that nerd class... way too cool. And she also has me as her friend. She is not going to go anywhere and leave me behind. After all, I am the most popular girl on the school. And the richest. She would never sacrifice her friendship with me for such a lame class.

The teacher then asked each of the students at the front if they would go ahead to the advanced class. When she reached Curly, I thought he gave a quick glance in my direction... and then said that he wanted to stay. Foolish kid... you are the lowest in this class... at least in the nerd class you would be surrounded by other creeps like you... you have no opportunity here... you have no opportunity with me... you should just have taken it.

Then the teacher continued... almost all of the students accepted her offer. Then she reached Nadine... I already know what she will answer.

"Of course." Wait... did Nadine just said... "I would like to go to the advanced class."

Oh No. Nadine what have you done?

Then the kids went to reach for their backpacks to go into the nerd classes. When Nadine reached back to her seat next to me, I was going to talk some sense into her.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" I told her in my most calmed tone as I held her from the arm, trying to make her see reason. "You are not going to go to that loser class, are you?"

"Ronda, you are hurting me, let go of my arm!" she pulled her arm back away from me. "Look, Ronda, I know we are friends, and this is really difficult for both of us. Specially since you have been borrowing all my math work for years. But this is really a good opportunity for me. Not all of us are rich like you, and we have to find good jobs if we are ever going to have decent homes. I'm sorry, but I have to do this."

"Nadine, if you leave with those losers, you and I can't be friends no more. I have a reputation to uphold, and I can't be seen with the nerds."

"Does our friendship mean so little to you, that you would stop being my friend just because I go to a different class?"

"I wouldn't have a choice, Nadine."

I think I saw some mixture of sadness and anger in Nadine's stare when she answered back to me. "Then I guess this is goodbye, Ronda. I really thought you were a better friend than this."

Then I saw her pick up her things and move away with the rest of the brainiacs. "Nadine, wait!" I tried to call for her, but she was gone way too soon.

\------------------------

It has been three months since Nadine and I stopped talking.

She probably cried herself to sleep for it for several days... She probably feels so terrible that she can't concentrate in her classes... probably her grades have gone terribly bad lately... or at least that is what I imagine, since that is exactly what has been happening to me... I really miss her... But I can't be seen with a brainiac... My whole life depends on my status.

The school counselor called me today. Probably just to ask for money from my parents since they give generous donations to the school each year. After all, I'm their princess, and they would never let a Lloyd study in a broke school.

"Miss Ronda Lloyd, please take a seat." said the councelor to me. "It has been brought to my attention that your grades have been going very bad lately, and in this school we are always concerned with the well being of all the students." Sure... all the students whose parents give donations to the school... "So in order to help you with your classes, it was decided that you would be assigned a tutor."

Great... more classes... just what I need... That means less time to go out with my friends... Just perfect... This just can't get any worse now, can it?

"Fortunately, one of your classmates volunteered to help you with this, since he knows the same subjects as you," Oh No... "and seems to be getting good grades, and therefore he seems to be capacitated for the task" No no no no... "His name is Thaddeus Gammelthorpe" Oh god damn it... he means...

"Hello, Ronda." Said the four eyed creep with a slight smile on his face as he approached me from behind the desk of the counselor. "I'll do my best to help you."

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!

I have to do my best to try not to scream, and keep all the desperate yelling inside of me.

"C-Curly..." This is a nightmare. I just wanna wake up...

\------------------------

I hate math... I hate math... I hate math... I HATE MATH...

"Come on, Ronda... work with me." said the four eyed creep that has been using this supposed extra classes to try to get with me... not that he has tried anything weird... but I know he just does this to spend time with me... little creep. "Look, I know you have trouble with math, but you won't get any better if you don't practice."

"Arg.. It's been two weeks since we began this classes, and I don't feel like I'm getting any better..."

"Look, it's easy, you just have to follow the process here..."

He just gives another round to the same dull explanation over and over again... I hate this... and I hate him... If only Nadine was here... she would just do the homework and then lend it to me... why can't he just?... Wait... I think I have an idea...

"Say, Curly..." I got closer to the little four eyes, and place my arm around his shoulders.

"Ahm... Y-Yes?" he seems to have gotten nervous all of a sudden. I wonder why? hehehe

"You are so muchsmarter than me... and you seem to understand this math thing... why don't you just do it for me, and then I will compensate you some other way..."

"Some... other way?" something changed in his expression... he seems... sad?

"Sure... look, I know you like me... I've noticed how you look at me... so, why not just help me with this... and we can play pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend, like we did once a couple of years ago..."

He let out a laughter... somehow, it didn't seem a happy laughter, but a hurt one.

"Do you have any idea of how many nights I cried myself to sleep after that?" He took his glasses off, and turned his head towards me. I think I saw something inside of them... a deep pain that was always hidden behind his glasses. "If I ever have to pretend like that... knowing that you really don't care about me... It would be too much for me... No... I just could never do it... not really."

He passed his hands through his eyes. Did he just clean his tears? Is he really crying?

"Ahm..." What the hell do I do now? What the hell do I say now? "Look, Curly, I'm just giving you a chance to have a good time. You get something, and I get something. I will get my good grades, and you will get to play pretend that you and i are together... at least for a while... what do you say?"

"Just that simple, right?" he said to me with a sardonic smile now. "It's just so simple for you, Ronda. For you it's all just appearances that moves you. Everything with you is just that. Just to play pretend with everyone around you. Because you don't care about nobody except yourself. Or is that not why you lost your friend Nadine?"

Alright, I did not expect that one... "How did you...?"

"Brainiacs are friends with each other... even if we are not in the same classes. If you are wondering about it, she does miss you."

Warning. Ronda's brain has stopped working. "I... I... don't know what to say."

"Ronda... for you appearances are everything. I know what everybody thinks about me in class. Even you. And I know that deep down you don't want to be seen with me, so I don't want you to pretend to be with me. However, I do like you, for real. So if you really want me to do your work for you, you will have to give me something that IS real."

Ah, there it is... of course. "Alright. How much money?"

"Money?" he laughed "Is that what you got from that? You think I want your money?"

"Well, if it's not money then what...? Oh... No.. Hell no, you creep."

"Creep... that is how you all call me. Some of you have the guts to call me like that on my face, others just behind my back but all of you call me a creep, and four eyes. And why? Because I'm not a pretender like the rest of you? Because I don't have a rich family that gives me everything I ask? Why do you all hate me so much? What have I ever done to any of you to deserve your contempt?"

Curly's eyes were burning with rage and pain deep inside. Have I also contributed to make him feel like that?

"I... I... don't think I have ever thought about it, Curly..." What has he ever actually done to us? He was weird... but he never really harmed any of us... did we just pick on him because he never fought back?

"Of course not... everybody else did it... so why not you too, right?" For a second I really didn't know what to respond. Luckily I didn't have to, as he just kept talking. "Everything is appearances for you. So I won't ask you to change your appearances at all... in fact, I won't ask you at all... you know what I want... but I won't ask. You have to offer." Or perhaps not so luckily for me.

"Ahm..." little creep. "Ok... so you don't want to pretend to be my boyfriend... And you don't want my money... so what do you want?"

"Do I really have to spell it out for you? I won't do it. If you know what I want, and really are willing to give it, then make the offer." He looked at my eyes for a second, with too much intensity. I know what he wants...

"Alright... If you help me with my math homework, and my exams, I will let you kiss me. But you can never mention it to anyone."

"Is that what you offer?"

"It's the only thing I will offer."

He took a deep breath "Alright. I will take it. But you will have to pay upfront. Everytime I help you, you will have to kiss me before I do. Only like that I will know you won't try to cheat me off."

God damn it... what the hell am I getting myself into? "Fine. So... When do you want to start?"

"Whenever you are ready."

Great... so I have to do the first move too? Creepy little... "Alright. Come here." I get closer to him and pull him a little towards me. I put my hands over his shoulders, and smile at him... He will probably like that. After all, I have the prettiest smile in all town. I see him smiling me back. He probably can't believe his luck.

For an instant I glance into his eyes, and noticed that they look almost completely black. His pupils were dilated as he looked at me. Somewhere I heard that some cultures consider the eyes a window though which you can gaze into the soul. And if that is so, the windows towards his soul were wide open.

As he seems to be smiling nervously, I start getting my lips closer to his own. I close my eyes and try not to think about what I'm doing as I place my lips against his lips. The little creep is probably enjoying it. He probably is imagining that he and I are a couple...

He started moving his lips over mine, and I feel his arms getting over my shoulders, and I feel as he places one of his hands behind my head. For an instant, I believe that I thought that maybe it doesn't feel so bad.

Red Alert. What? I pull away from him instantaneously as my eyes widen up in shock.

He looks at the ground for a moment and then gazes back at me "That was... nice." he says as I am still trying to come back fully to my senses... what was it that I had thought? I feel my face strangely warm.

"Well... you're welcome." Wait, what? Who the hell says that after a kiss? Wait, that can't count as an actual kiss, right? I mean, it was just a play pretend kiss, right? "Ahm... so, are you going to help me now?"

"Sure. Why not?" he said as he picks the papers from the table and starts writing on it. From time to time I catch him giving me a glance before going back to keep writing.

It took him just some minutes to finish it all. Something that would have taken me hours, and probably would not have finished on my own. By the end of it all I just let him go home. He seemed saddened, for some reason. Maybe he just realised that this was just an illusion that wouldn't last. That it was going to be over sooner rather than later... why do I feel sad?

\------------------------

A couple of days have passed since the first time that I kissed Curly. I hate everything about him. "I hate your stupid glasses." I told him when he looked at me on the bus. Instead of seeming angry, for some reason he looked at my eyes, then just smiled and kept walking.

Later, as I entered the class, I notice him sitting on a desk, so I slightly hit him on the back of his head. "I hate your stupid haircut." Again he looked at my eyes, and there was that damned smile he gaves me and then says nothing.

Even later, during recess, I see him again sitting on a bench. So I tug him from the shirt, and he fell from the bench. "I hate your stupid shirt." I told him. He once again looked into my eyes, and then smiled at me once more.

Why does he smile at me? Do I have something funny on my face? I know he likes me, but why does he keep smiling even after I tell him how much I hate him.

\------------------------

Today, is my next extra class with Curly. He came with me on the ride back home. He has not said anything from the moment I closed the door to my room.

"So... are you going to help me with my homework today too?"

He looks at me once more and says "If you keep your part of the deal, then sure."

"Very well..." I once again sit down right next to him, and take his glasses away. We look at each other's eyes for a moment. His eyes are so black again.

This time, I let him come closer and he places his lips over mine, and I feel his hands moving over my shoulders and on my back. He starts moving his lips over mine. And I feel my lips moving over his. Then, for some reason that I don't understand, my tongue leaves my mouth and start touching over his lips.

For a moment, he opened his mouth and I felt his tongue and mine dancing over the other. I feel my heart pumping up. I feel out of breath. I pull away from him for a moment to catch my breath again. What am I feeling? I look at him for a second, and notice that he is out of breath too. It would be bad if he couldn't breath, and fainted in my room, right? So why not just give him a mouth to mouth emergency aid?

I sealed my lips againts him, and felt my lips and his touching eachother with no sign of stopping. For a moment, I felt that this wasn't bad at all.

How long has gone by? I can't tell. I feel his lips leaving mine. Why did you stop? And then I feel his lips kissing me on the neck. And his tongue caressing my neck just between his lips.

Something's happening to me... my body feels warm... what is this? A strange sound comes out of my mouth... it wasn't a scream... it wasn't a laugh... what was it then?

"Stop..." I tell him as I push him slghtly away from my neck. My breathing is accelerated, the same as his.

He looks at me and with that calmed smile of his just says "You moaned for me."

"I... what?"

"It's OK. You don't really have to pretend to like it."

"Wha? what do you mean?"

"Well... when a girl likes being kissed, she usually moans, just like you did. But I know that you hate doing this with me, so you really don't have to pretend to like it."

Moaning... is that how that sound is called? I didn't even know it existed... how the hell was I going to even pretend that? But if I really moaned, then does that mean that I liked... No... No, that can't be... that just can't be at all...

I got away from Curly immediately... whatever that sound was, it couldn't really be moaning, so he is probably just confused. He better just do my homework, and then I can just go back to my life.

He again finished my work quickly, and then he just went away again... A part of me feels something strange... as if something felt missing when I went back to my room... as if someone was missing from my room...

\------------------------

For the next few day I avoided Curly as much as I could. The other kids kept picking on him, and kept saying the same slurs and insults that I had found funny before. But now, I felt different whenever I saw somebody pick on him. I felt sad for him. And I felt angry. And also something else... I felt guilty. Why? I had found it funny to make fun of him before. Why was I feeling guilty? Did I really just enjoyed his suffering? Am I a sadist?

A part of my brain locked that thought away and threw the key down a bottomless pit. Then placed a red label on the door that said "NEVER EVEN THINK ABOUT SOMETHING THIS HORRIBLE AGAIN."

Curly, what have we been doing to you all these years? Did you also suffered from my own mockery?

I saw Harold and Sid picking on him during the recess. They just started pushing him one over to the other like a ragdoll. But I can't do anything to help him. I just can't intervene. I have a reputation to mantain... and the Lloyd family name on my back. So I can't help him, because he is a loser, and I am one of the cool kids... and the cool kids don't make friends with losers, or nerds, or brainiacs... why am I walking towards them?

"Hey that's enough." I said to them. "Leave Curly alone."

"Ronda, what are you talking about?" said Sid to me. "You pick on him too. Just the other day I saw how you threw him to the ground from the bench he was sitting on."

For some reason, that made me feel far worse than what I could imagine just some says ago "That was... different."

"How so?" said Harold this time.

"Because..." what could I say that could help in this situation, without losing my reputation? "because..." I really can't think of anything.

"Because I have a debt to Ronda..." said Curly. "She helped me with some chores a couple of days ago. So for the next few days I am..." he paused for a second "her property. Son only she gets to pick on me."

Curly does seem to think quickly from time to time.

"That's right." I told them with my greatest authoritarian voice "He is my slave for the next days. And nobody touches Ronda Lloyd's property without permission. Come, slave... You have to attend to me." I say as I pull him up from the floor and start walking with him holding his hand.

"Yes, Madame." he answered me back.

\------------------------

After walking through the halls of the school, I took him inside an empty classroom. For a while I started checking on him and see if he had any bruisings on him. There are a few on his arms but nothing major. I felt relieved knowing that... That's strange... just a few days ago, I could not have cared less about Curly. And now, for some reason that I don't understand, I felt so worried of him being harmed.

"I'm glad you are alright." I told him.

I immediately felt his arms around my neck.

"Thank you, Ronda. Nobody has ever gave a damn about me in this school. But today you helped me. It really means a lot to me."

I placed my arms around his neck, and look at his eyes.

"Hey... what are friends for?" I told him.

"Friends..." I heard sorrow coming from Curly's voice when he said that word.

I felt his hand running over my cheek. And without any warning, he placed his lips over mine. There was no math homework or exam coming soon. There was no reason for me to kiss him... why didn't I pull away? Why did I placed my arms around his waist? Was I enjoying his kiss? Why was I enjoying his kiss?

After a while, he stopped the kiss, and looked at me with that calmed smile again. Everytime he looked into my eyes, he had that same smile on his face. "I hate your smile so much." I told him, and again he just kept smiling at me with that same calmed expression, and those wide and blackened eyes.

"Do you want to know why I smile so much each time I look at you?"

For some reason, I didn't say anything, I just nodded.

"I will give you an explanation, but first I want to say something to you. I have always liked black eyes. Not that there are any people with actually black color on the iris of their eyes. What I mean is that, I like to see somebody with their pupils dilated to the point that their eyes look almost black. Because, you see, there is a little psychological fact that most people aren't aware of. Whenever a person looks at somethings, or someone they like, their pupils dilate." He turned his gaze at me again and looked at my eyes. "So even when you have been saying that you hate each part of me, from the first day that we kissed, each time you look at me, I noticed that you have the blackest eyes I have ever seen."

I felt a warm sensation over my cheeks, and I felt his lips sealing over mine, and his arms going around my waist. And I placed my hands over his face, knowing fully well, that behind our closed eyelids, we both had the blackest eyes any of the two could have.


	2. Blackmail

"Stand aside, weirdo. You made a good job at saving my place." I said to Curly when he was standing in line at the cafeteria. Only I get to call him names now. Everyone else knows he is my property. If somebody outside of myself start picking on him, they will no longer be welcome in my home. And everybody wants to be invited to my home. After all, I am still the prettiest girl in the school. I am still the richest girl in school. And that is why I will never be open about kissing Curly. Or that for some reason, I feel a warm sensation near him now. Nobody must know. Not even him. Especially not him.

"My lady." he answers back as he makes room for me, and them I tell him to go away. He obeys me. He knows that I must not be seen with him except as his owner. And yet, I see that there is a shadow of rage in his eyes whenever I tell him to go away. He knows we can't be seen together as nothing more than master and slave. No matter what he wants. No matter what I want. My name is still on the line.

"How long are you going to treat him like that?" I hear the voice of a boy talking to me now. As I turn my head, I see the blonde hair and the big head decorated with a blue hat on top of it. Arnold is always around trying to gethimself involved in other people's affairs. I think he means well, but sometimes can be a nuance.

"For as long as I like it." I answer him back.

"Ronda, I have seen Curly always being mistreated by everyone. He is an odd ball I will give you that. But he is a person. He probably feels hurt whenever you treat him badly."

I take a deep breath looking intensely at him. He doesn't understand. Nobody does. Curly is mine. To hurt and torment in front of everyone. Or to kiss and caress when alone. Nobody really knows either. And it must remain that way.

"Curly is my slave for now. He knows his place."

"I think he likes you, and he only does those things because of it."

"You think I don't know that?"

"It's not healthy, Ronda. Neither for you, nor Curly."

"What do you mean?"

"Look, I had my fair share of bad dynamics with someone." He turns his head to look at the blonde girl with pink clothes sitting down on a table, waiting for him. Helga Pataki was a very agressive girl some years ago, and she always seemed quite unhappy, most of the time. She used to bully Arnold very often, but as it turns out, it was because she had a crush on him, and being an immature girl, she didn't know how to react to it. But eventually Arnold figured it out. "And unless you both can express yourselves with honesty, it will become a toxic relationship." Arnold and Helga have been together for quite a while now. She seems much happier now, and Arnold seems to like her too. "Look, I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life, it's just an advice, you know."

"Thanks for your concern Arnold, but I don't really need your advice at the moment." I told him as I finish picking up the last meal plates for lunch and get away from him.

As I walk towards the table where my friends from the high society club are sitting, my mind starts drifting away for a moment. Helga had made everything in her power to hide her feelings for Arnold, and she hid them very well. And to see them now together was such an eerie situation when you contrasted it with how it was back then. And yet, that was so long ago that it was now just something normal to see them sharing a meal together, and holding hands and talking. A while ago it would have been unthinkable to picture Arnold and Helga together... It would have been as unthinkable as me and...

My hands let go of the plastic trail that I was holding with the hot food. There was hot soup in the trail that spilled over my hands. I feel the burning sensation over me. I scream in pain and shock. Tears start feeling my eyes because of the pain, and I can't see a thing.

"Ronda!" I hear a concerned voice in the distance, and hear footsteps coming closer. I can't open my eyes. The pain and the tears keep them shut. I feel somebody's hands touching my own. "Come on. I'll take you to the infirmary." I feel as I'm getting dragged through a multitude of people that must have gathered around me "Make way, make way, we have a wounded person here! Move away!" Arnold is always willing to help others. He is a good friend to have, specially in moments like this.

A while passes while I'm being dragged through the hallways. Then I hear the sound of a sink opening, and feel the cold sensation of water running over my burnt hands. The pain started receding, and the remnants of the soup were washed away. I can finally wipe the tears from my eyes and open them. I opened my mouth to give my thanks to Arnold for helping me. But as soon as my sight got clear, my jaw dropped open for a second.

"C-Curly." I managed to say to him, before I feel my voice going totally silent.

"Don't worry, Ronda. I will help you."

"You dragged me out of the cafeteria?" Everybody must have seen it. Curly taking my hands with his, and that he took me out with him, while I was being completely helpless. "You shouldn't have done that! What is everyone going to think now?!"

His expression changes and reflects anger again.

"Are you so concerned by appearances that you would rather to be hurt than to be seen with me?"

That one got me a bit off guard "Curly, you know that I have to keep my name intact."

"Your name... your reputation... that is everything that matters. Getting burn is nothing compared to be seen with the wrong person helping you, right?"

"You don't know what I have to go through, Curly. You don't care about other people's thoughts on you, because it doesn't affect your life."

"It doesn't affect my life precisely because everybody thinks of me as a freak. Even you, Ronda. Perhaps it's you who doesn't know what I have gone through my whole life. Even when I'm helping you, the only thing I get is your contempt."

"I didn't ask for your help!"

"But you needed help! Is it so terrible that it was me who gave it to you?" My mind is blank right now, and I can't think of what to say. Curly's head got lowered down. "I see... It seems that I'll never really be able to get anything from the lot of you. Even when I just try to help... all I get is your despise..." Curly's face is distorted into an expression that I don't think I have ever seen before. A mixture of pain and anger, maybe even disgust... "I hate you." he declared at me. Is that what hatred looks like? I have felt many things for Curly along the years, but this is the first time that he has caused me fear. His expression changed again and turned into a cold stare and in a monotonous tone said "The infirmary is not too far away. I'll walk you there, and then... well... we'll see what happens next."

\------------------------

Yesterday went by quickly, my hands are getting better after the nurse gave me a special cream for burns. Today Curly has to go to my home again to help me with math. He has not said a thing to me all day. But from time to time I catch him looking at me, again with that same expression from yesterday, but every single time he looks away and then pretends I don't exist... Why do I even care? He is just a weirdo anyway. Why should I care what he thinks of me? As long as he helps me with my math work... then he can hate me all he wants... But why do I feel so sad?

Nadine... I really need you now.

\------------------------

Curly didn't come with me to my house, but he arrived on time anyway. I don't know how he got here, and he does not seem interested in answering my questions.

I close the door to my room and Curly starts looking at the shelves in my room.

"You have such a pretty room, Ronda." he says as he continues to pass his hands on some of the shelfs. "All this figures, and prizes. And look at those pictures..." He picked up a framed photo from the shelf "Isn't that the major and his family standing next to you and your family? You really are a successful girl in high society, aren't you?"

Curly seems to smile at me, but it doesn't look like a normal smile. Did he just smirk at me?

"Ahm..." for some reason I can still percieve concealed anger coming from him. "Yeah... The Lloyd family has high standards everywhere we go to."

"Good, good." He put the photo back to its place, and walked towards the chair next to me. "Anyway, do you still need me to help you with your math work?"

"Well, yeah."

"Same as always? We kiss, and then I do your work for you?"

"Well... If you still want to."

"Sure. Why not? Payment upfront, as always, Ronda."

I nod and come closer to him. I take a deep breath and slowly place my lips over his. For some reason, each time we do this, it feels a little bit better.

I feel his arm passing over my shoulders and onto the back of my head. He starts pressing me tightly against his mouth. Suddenly I feel his tongue going into my mouth and passing over my tongue. It was a bit surprising, but it's not so bad.

I feel his lips leaving mine again, and he drifts slowly down my neck. I feel my body getting hot again. My breathing becomes heavy. I place my arms around his head pressing him slightly against my neck. I start making that same noise as last time... moaning... it starts to feel so good.

In an impulse that I can't understand, I start kissing him on the neck too. He slides his hands down my back, and starts caressing me up and down my back. What am I feeling? Why does it feel so good? Why with Curly?

After a while, I pull back from his neck, and push him slightly back, only to put my lips over his own one last time.

My breathing is still heavy, and my heart is pounding strongly. I look at his eyes, and see them dilated. It doesn't matter how much you try to hide it, Curly. Deep down you still like me, don't you?

"Your eyes are black again." He tells me. As soon has he said that I fell myself blushing.

"It... it doesn't mean I enjoy it..."

His expression once again changes into that concealed anger as before.

"You are right." he says "Of course you don't enjoy it. After all, it's just the price you pay in order to make the freak of the class do your work for you, isn't it?" He pauses for a second. Why does that commentary hurt? It shouldn't. After all, it really is what the arrangement was... why does it feel so... 'filthy' once exposed that way? But before I can say anything, he continues. "Well. You have already accomplished your part of the bargain. It's time for me to accomplish mine."

I see Curly turn his head towards the notebook on the desk and starts solving the problems. Is it over? All of a sudden? I wish it would... wait... do I really want to... go on? I want him to keep kissing me?

I see as Curly finishes everything as always, and then he places the pen down. Seconds later, I see him walking towards my shelf again. He stops in front of the picture he picked up earlier, and stays there for a while.

"Curly, what are you doing?"

"Just wait a second. You'll see." He turns around and I notice that he is holding something on his hand. Is that a cellphone? Curly lifts his head from the object and as he does, he presses his thumb against it. I then hear my own voice and his voice talking to each other about the arrangement we had. Then he turns the phone towards me and I see the screen of the phone showing how we kissed one another. And in disbelieve I hear my own moanings coming from the recording he had made.

"W-What? What did you do?" I ask him not understanding what is going on.

"You care so much about what people think, don't you?" He looks at me with pain in his eyes. "What would happen if everybody saw this? What would happen if the school would get to know that Ronday Lloyd has been cheating her way to have good grades? What would happen if everyone in the school would see you kissing me? Moaning as I kiss your neck? If they would see you kissing my neck with so much passion? Do you think there would be any reputation for you left?"

I feel shocked for a second. And I have a sudden realization of what I must do "Give me THAT!!!" I yell as I reach for the phone and take it from his hands, and smash it against the floor only to stomp on it just as quickly.

"Interesting." he says. What is that supposed to mean? "The instant that you thought about people knowing that maybe you do like kissing me, you threw yourself to destroy the threat you percieved. You didn't even try to delete it and then give it back. You just instinctively destroyed it. Is it really just that terrible?"

He doesn't seem angered about it. He is not yelling. He is not even bothered by it. Why?

"Curly. You can NEVER tell anyone about this. Nobody. My life would be ruined!"

"I know. And that is why you will do what I tell you from now on." he said with a calm tone.

"W-WHAT???!!!" I scream at him.

"Well... you obviously don't want to be my girlfriend. But perhaps you can be my slave. At least, when we are alone."

"Are you crazy?! What is wrong with you?"

"Ronda, please calm down. Think it through. Do you think I would have shown you that video if there was anything you could do to destroy it?"

A cold chill went down my spine for an instant. "W-What do you mean?"

"Ronda, I'm a brainiac. I'm good with technology. I made a script that automatically uploaded the video to an internet database that only I have access to. However, every twenty four hours, I have to input a code in order to prevent it from being automatically e-mailed to the entire school, and your parents. So, unless you are willing to admit that you have been cheating on the math work for quite some time, and that you have been kissing me, then it may be better for you to simply do whatever I tell you. That is, only if you care for your reputation at all."

I feel my mouth completely dry. Is my heart stopped? Am I even breathing? What is going on? I can't think straight. I can't think on anything to say or do. So I just stay there looking at Curly with my jaw wide open, and feeling like a total idiot.

"Too much of a shock?" I hear his words echoing through my room. "Try breathing deeply and slowly. That should calm you down."

I do as he just said. I try taking in the air into my lungs and the air feels so heavy. "You are blackmailing me?"

"Correct. And from now on, whenever we are alone, you will be my slave. Simple, is it not?"

What the hell am I going to do now? Should I scream? should I threaten him? Should I run away? No... all of that seems pointless. Whatever I do, he is the one that can stop the video from going public. I can't do anything. He got me trapped. What do I do?

"You..." my voice comes out broken from my mouth "What are you going to do to me?"

I see him smile calmedly at me.

"I am going to kiss you again. And then again. And then again. I will make sure that each time you feel better, and better. I will make sure that you enjoy it. Slowly, I will make you fall in love with me, just as I fell in love with you so long ago. That is the only thing I want, Ronda. Your love. Nothing more. But even if after everything I try, you still don't love me, at least I will have a good memory with you. It's that simple, my sweet Ronda."

"But, couldn't you have tried that with just the arrangement we already had?"

"Perhaps... But I want to make sure that you can't refuse. If at some point you would chicken out, then I could not really go on. I have to make sure that you can't say no. Sorry."

"You little creep. I hate you."

"You break my heart, Ronda. But it doesn't matter. You can't say 'no' anyway."

I take a deep breath... What's the point of arguing anymore?

"Alright. You hold the cards. What now?"

"I told you already, Ronda." he comes closer towards me and places his hand over my cheek "I want to kiss you again."

I look at his eyes, and nod. I feel him getting closer towards me. He slides the hand he had on my cheek onto the back of my head, and pulls me closer towards him, and once more our lips are closed together. He again puts his tongue over my lips, and I slightly open them apart, and take my own tongue out to meet with his. Again that same sensation of warm invades my cheeks.

My hands start sliding towards his back on their own. And then I feel his hands over my neck, slightly caressing me. Tickles. In a very strange, but comfortable way. Why? Why does it feel so good? I'm being blackmailed to do this. I should hate this... Why don't I hate it?

I feel one of his hands slowly sliding down my neck, and over the center of my chest. He then stops his hand over my chest. I then notice that my heart is pumping hard. His mouth then slides onto my neck again. Curly... why does it feel so good?

The hand on my chest starts caressing me up and down, and then he slides it over my breasts. I stop his hand immediately.

"Please, Curly. We can't go on." I tell him, just barely on my senses.

"Why? Are you feeling too good?" he smirks at me, and keeps moving his fingers over my breasts. He starts touching my right nipple, and keeps caressing it ever so slightly.

I feel my body getting warm everywhere. Even between my legs. My breathing is getting even faster. "Curly. Please stop!" my voice comes out in a high pitch, but it's not a scream... am I moaning again?

For a second he really let go of my breast. He then looked at me in the eyes, only to kiss my mouth again. He immediatelly started rubbing my other breast now.

"C-Curly... It feels... It feels... So good..." I feel a sensation taking over me. My mind is going blank. What Am I feeling? What is going on? My head... my lips... my nipples... "Yaahh!!!"

I let out a small scream as I feel a sensation that I have never experienced before. It feels almost as if I would have been a participant of a beauty contest, and they just announced that I am the winner... but better... more intense... what is this?

He looks at me in the eyes, and then passes his hand over my hair... Why are you looking at me like that? Why do you look at me as if I would be yours? I put my hand over his head and pull him towards me. Kiss me, please.

After some more seconds, Curly pulls away from me.

"Thank you." he says.

"F-For what?" I am still breathing heavily.

"For being such a wonderful girl, Ronda."

Did my heart just skip a beat?

I place my hands around his neck, trying to calm down. Trying to come back to my senses.

"Please... don't tell anybody about this..." I ask him gently.

"It will be our secret, Ronda. As long as you are mine, nobody has to know."

Curly didn't stay much longer after that. Curly... I hate you... you forced me to do all that... it didn't feel good at all... it shouldn't have felt good at all... Then why did it feel so...?

\------------------------

During dinner with my parents they talked about something boring... The stock market? The family business? I don't care... For some reason, my mind kept coming back to what just had happened with Curly. I just couldn't help it.

After dinner, I went straight to bed. I hate Curly. I hate him so much. I hate how he kissed me (my right hand automatically passed over my lips repeatedly). I hate how he touches my neck (my left hand start caressing my neck, much like he had). I hate how you touched my breasts (both my hands slide down towards my breasts and start caressing them repeatedly all over, and specially over my nipples). I hate how you made me moan (My mouth began emitting that same noise). And I hate that horrible, horrible sensation you made me feel by the end of it (My body is so hot. My breasts feel so good, and my mind goes blank again as I have that same sensation again)...

"Curly..."


	3. Dance with me

I woke up. And the first thing I could think about was Curly... What a way to begin my morning... To start thinking on the only person I did not want to think about right now.

As I took a bath, I looked down at my breasts. I never really had noticed them before. I mean, they have been with me for a while by now, but I never really payed much attention to them. They were still small, round and a bit perky, but somehow I liked them. They reminded me that I was a woman, and that I was going to be a very attractive woman one day. All the boys would want to be with me. And I would have to choose one of them...

I began thinking about who would be a suitable partner for me. Maybe one of the guys from the Country Club. They belong to my same social class. I could be with one of them.

My mind started drifting on its own. I though on several of my partners there. I was friends with many of them. Maybe Peapod Kid... I don't really know his actual name... That's kinda odd given that we've been friends for quite a while... No... not him... not really. I couldn't think on any of them as my partner. Why not? They all seemed adequate. They were as rich as my family. They knew how to behave in high society. They were all so... so... pretty much the same... and somehow boring.

Who would I choose? Who could I choose? As I tried to think of somebody, somehow my mind kept coming back to the way Curly and I had kissed. Every time that happened, I pushed the thought away. But then it came back over and over again. Why? He is such a creep. I hate him. Why do I keep thinking on him?

\------------------------

The ringing of the bell announcing the begining of the class startled me for a second. As I walked into the classroom, I once again saw Curly sitting on his seat. My mouth is dry. My hands are shaking. What the hell is going on? I avoid any eye contact with him for now, and just move to my seat.

I try to avoid him for now... I have no idea of what to say or do with him now... If he ever opens his mouth about what we've been doing, my life would be ruined... but worst of all, I can't ask for help to anyone without exposing myself to the same public humiliation... I hate Curly... I hate him completely... Is that why I'm shaking when I see him? Is this anger? It doesn't fell like anger... Why am I so confused? Why? Just why?

\------------------------

The entire time that I was in the classroom alongside Curly, I felt that my breath was too accelerated. My heart was pumping fast... Am I going to have a heart attack? Am I scared of something? My face feels warm...

As soon as the recess began, I went to the bathroom immediately, locked myself in one of the stalls, and tried to calm down... Damn you, Curly... what have you done to me?

I place my left hand over my cheek, but it starts sliding over my mouth when I start to remember all the kisses we have shared... my right hand moves straight onto my breasts and began massaging them pretty much as you did yesterday... what am I doing? I can't do this here. I shouldn't do this in school... I can't stop... What is happening to me?

Some minutes pass, but I'm not entirely sure of how many... But it's not too long before I have that same euphoric sensation running all over my body. My breathing and my heartbeat are even more accelerated than before... but somehow, I feel relieved. My panties are soaked... what is going on?

I washed my hands and my face and tried to fix my appearance. My heart and my breathing are finally calming down...

That was... strange... so very strange...

I leave the bathroom and head onto the cafeteria.

"Hey!!! Hey, Ronda!!!" I hear a voice calling me from the line in the Cafeteria. "I saved your place for you, my lady..." I see Curly standing at the front of the line for me, as he waves his hand. I'm not entirely sure if I really want to go anywhere near him right now... Unfortunately, he is supposed to be my slave in public... it would be weird if I didn't go there now...

I move slowly towards him... dragging the moment...

"Hi, Curly." I say as he smiles at me with that sardonic smile of his... mocking me with those teeth... "Thanks for saving my place... you can go, now." Just leave me alone, you little creep.

"Of course, my lady. But first, I have something for you." He takes my hand with his own for a second, and leaves something inside of it. It feels as a piece of paper... "I'll see you later, Ronda." He says as he finally walks away.

I open the piece of paper... what is this? It's written 'After school, I'll see you outside the main stairs. If anybody asks, you ordered me to do it.' What the hell are you planning, Curly?

\------------------------

School is over. I'm standing across the street in front of the stairs that rise into the main entrance to the school, waiting to see if Curly will arrive. I'm hoping he won't show up. Or maybe he won't notice me on the other side of the street. But today, I'm not so lucky. There he is coming out from the school, and he is looking in my direction. He signals me to stay where I am... What for? What do you think you are doing? Why should I obey you?... Because if I don't you will ruin my life, won't you?

I see as everyone leaves, and only Curly remains behind, sitting on the stairs, reading something... I just want this to be over already... at least he seems to be keeping his part of not being too obvious about the bargain we have. He's keeping it a secret. It's something, I guess.

After some minutes of waiting, and noticing that all other students were gone, he finally crosses the street and comes near me.

"Alright." I tell him. "What do you want?" my heart is again pounding in my chest.

"To be the ruler of the world, one day. And have you by my side." I did not expect that response. Why am I smiling?

"Th-that... was not what I expected to hear..."

"Well... It's a conversation starter."

"That is a lousy conversation starter."

"It started a conversation, so I'm gonna write it down as a win." my mouth opened slightly and I let out a small laughter... Am I laughing? Seriously? As soon as the laughter began, It stopped just as suddenly. I should not be laughing right now... not when I'm being forced to be in this situation.

"Ahm..." I am not sure what to say right now. "You asked to be here. Is there something on your mind, or did you just do it to make me waste my time and get on my nerves."

"Hey, as long as you have me in your thoughts, I'm a happy guy." Why am I smiling again? "But you are right, I should not keep my lady waiting. However, I must do it for now. I'm going to take you somewhere. Please, don't worry about it."

"If you think that you are going to take me to a hotel or something like that, you are completely wrong, Curly." I stare at him severely.

"Do you really think of me as that much of a low-life?" he answers back at me with rage in his voice. "Do you think I would force you to do that? I mean... sure, I could just blackmail you again to just take advantage of you. But that is not what I want... I told you what I want, and it's not just your body, Ronda. I want your heart. And I know that forcing you that way would be the path to gaining your permanent hatred. I don't want you to hate me." He looks at my eyes profoundly, before finishing his speech "I want you to love me. As much as I have loved you all this years."

For a second I feel... bad... why? He is forcing me to be here. But he is not going to force himself onto me.

"What is your aim here, Curly? What are you planning?"

"I just want to make you happy, Ronda. One day at a time. One experience after another, and before you know it, you will be in love with me."

"So you don't want to pretend to be my boyfriend in front of everyone. You just want to BE my boyfriend, even if it's just a secret. Is that it?"

"Bingo. That is absolutely right."

"And what about what you said about kissing me over and over again?"

"Oh, we will get to that... but first, I'm gonna make you smile." He comes closer to me, and puts his face a little too close to mine. "And I'm gonna make you laugh. And then... when you least expect it..." his lips are way to close to mine, and I feel my mouth opening slightly, as if expecting him to just come closer just a bit more, while his breath is caressing slightly near my mouth, "I will steal another kiss from you." he says almost in a whisper. And then he retreats without so much as touhing my lips... My heart is pumping rapidly again. My cheeks feel warm. And I'm breathing heavily.

"It will never work." I say defiantly, even if my heart is going so much faster than normal.

"We will see about that, my sweet Ronda."

My mind is blank... what was I going to say? "Ahm... what did you say we were going to do now?"

"Well, my darling... I'm taking you to dance."

"Dancing? where to?"

"My older cousin Lorleen is making a costume party for her friends, because her parents aren't home. I got to know about it, and I politely asked her if I could go too."

"And if she refused, you threatened to tell your uncle and aunt about it, didn't you?"

"You should have seen the look on her face when I told her." He is smirking again "It was hilarious."

\------------------------

Curly and I took a bus downtown. He led me to a small house that seemed to be filled with lights, and coloured balloons. Before entering he gave me a black antemasque to put on to cover my face. He wanted to dance with me, but he still knew that I couldn't be seen with him...

"Hi there, little Tad-pole." said the tall girl that opened the door when Curly called at the door. I still forget that the actual name of Curly is 'Thaddeus', and that probaby only at school we call him Curly. She was also wearing a mask on her face, that she removed to reveal a pretty face, although not very outstandingly so. She seemed to be just some years older than Curly and me.

"Hi, cousin Lorleen. How is the party going?"

"Oh, you know, just young blood. The music is hot, and there are enough snacks as to fill your belly three times over. Who is your friend?" She said looking at me now.

"I am... ahm..."

"She is a friend I met..." Curly interrupted me and answered for me "just some days ago... her name is Veronica. She is very shy. She doesn't like to talk too much with others... but I guess the same could be said about me... birds of a feather flock together, you know." From time to time, Curly does think quickly.

"Oh, pleased to meet you." said Lorleen at me. "Please feel at home." she then turned her head to Curly again with severity "Oh, and Taddy..."

"Yes, dear cousin?" he said awkwardly.

"If you tell either one of my parents anything about this party, consider yourself dead."

"I won't... I would also be in trouble for it."

"Glad to know we understand eachother. Now enjoy the party, and don't get in my way."

"We won't... Ron... ahm... Veronica, come with me now..."

As we enter the house we see lots of other people wearing costumes inside. All teens drinking, chating, or playing some dumb games. The music was loud, and there were people awkwardly trying to dance and flirt with eachother. And some were succesfully dancing and flirting with eachother. I don't think I have ever been to a party this loud in my life. Usually most parties I have been to were always with people from either the country club, or one that I organized for my friends from school. They were far more quiet and there were usually adults. This was different... far more wild and uncontrolled.

Curly drags me to the dancing pad as soon as we enter.

"Do you know how to dance?" he asks me.

"A little, but I'm not that good at it... I think I have two left foots." Is my answer.

"Well, luckily for you, I have two right ones. Just follow my lead."

Curly grabs my left hand with his right hand, and puts his other hand on my waist. He then just starts dragging me through the floor following the compass of the music.

At first I feel completely embarrased about the whole thing. But some minutes pass while Curly keeps spinning me around. I can't believe it... Curly actually knows how to dance... I on the other hand step on him a couple of times, but he simply laughs it off, and keeps on going. I barely notice the change on my mood with each minute that passes, and then at some moment I found myself smiling and actually enjoying the dance. How the hell did this happen? I am actually having fun... with Curly...

The music we started with was fast paced at first. But after a while, which I can barely notice the time passing, there was a slow piece... At which point, Curly places both his hands on my waist, and I put mine on his shoulders. My breathing is fast because I am tired from the fast dance from before... I feel my entire body warm... And then Curly held me a bit closer to him. I feel my cheeks getting warm as soon as I feel his face a little too close towards mine.

"You dance wonderfully." he tells me.

"No... no I don't."

"Yeah you do..."

"I'm just following whatever you do."

"That is all I need, sweety." I feel blushing even more now that he calls me like that...

"Please don't call me like that..."

"How? 'Sweety'? But that is just how you are... You are a caramel. And I feel like the luckiest kid in town for having you in my hands."

I turn my head slightly downwards. Why am I smiling? I turn my head again to look at him. My eyes and his meet eachother. He places one of his hands over my cheek, and starts caressing it, just underneath the antemask I'm wearing, and then I feel his lips getting just a little closer to mine. Please don't do it... please don't do it... If you do it, I'm gonna die...

He kisses my lips, and then just stays there for a moment... I feel everything around me melting away... Everyone is watching us... If we weren't using the masks, I would be dying ashamed... but nobody knows who I really am in here. So I just let go for a moment, and put my arms around his shoulders and pull him closer towards me.

It just last for some seconds, that could as well be hours and I wouldn't have minded about it. As soon as he leaves my lips, I take a deep breath and a longing sensation of wanting to continue stays with me... I throw myself over him and hug him tightly, as a terrible feeling of sorrow invades me.

"What are we doing, Curly?"

"What do you mean?" he asks confused.

"You know we can't be together... not really. Why are we doing this? Why are you torturing me like this? Why are you going to torture yourself with this?"

"Ahm... what?"

"You are... trying to make me fall in love with you. And no matter what happens, everything I see ahead is disaster."

"Ahm... Ron... Veronica, could you be a bit more specific?"

"Look, there are just two possibilities. I will either fall in love with you, or I won't. If I don't fall in love with you, you will be heartbroken. And if I do end up falling in love with you, then we will both end up heartbroken. Because we won't be able to be with eachother. My status just can't allow it. I am a Lloyd. And this is the first time that I actually feel that name as a curse and a burden and not something that just made me feel proud... Please... we have to stop. Before this gets out of hand." My eyes are filled with tears. Am I crying? Why am I crying?

I feel his arms holding me tightly, and his voice whispers near my ear. "I'm sorry. I know that this will most likely not end up well. But I can't stop. I can't just give up on you. It's just that... I don't have a single memory of my life where I am not in love with you. Please forgive me if I hurt you. But I won't give up... I just can't."

You fool. You big, and stupid fool. This will burn both of us. I do not say it out loud. That would be too cruel.

I feel my body moving on its own, as I put my lips on his for a moment... just this once... lets pretend that this party will never end... lets pretend that we can both use this masks forever... lets both dream for a second...


	4. Drunk

The party is still ongoing. Curly and I grabbed something to eat from the table, and it was just simple snacks but there were lots of it, and there were lots of varieties. Not that I minded about it too much. But there was one thing that neither of us had tried before... the drinks had alcohol.

Curly and I tried some of it. At first we didn't take too much because it tasted bitter. But then we also found some drinks that were sweet... I thought I had not drink too much... little did I know that the alcohol takes a good while before you start feeling its effects... I definitely drank too much of it... And so did Curly...

The world was spinning around me, and I began to find everything funny. Me and Curly ended up sitting down on a couch when neither one could really keep standing up, We had our heads put together one next to the other. And we were both laughing for the stupidest reasons...

"Hey daarlin'..." he says slurring his speech "I wanned to ashk yu somethin'..."

"What?" I ask him still with my head half way spinning... for some reason I don't mind that he calls me 'darling'.

"Are yu'a unicorn? 'Cause ya are my fantasy maide real..."

I laugh for a moment "Nais wan... But I hav'a better wan..." my speech is also slurring behind, and even when I can still notice it, there is nothing I can do about it "Are ya a river? 'Cause you keep goin' through mai mind."

I notice that he smiles at me, and then kisses me on the forehead. I place my arms around his neck.

"Hey, Curly..."

"Yeah?"

"I wanna stay here... wid yu'. Can we stay here? Furrever?"

"I wish we could... Buuut my cousin would probbbly kill mee."

"Shee can stay wid us... seems cool..."

"I don't sink that's the problem... Ahm... I sink you have drinked mor' dan me... Wait here for a momen'... I'm gonna getcha sum coffee... Will wake yu' up."

Curly puts my head down on the couch, pats my head and stumbles away into the kitchen. I'm feeling so tired... I close my eyes for a second... Then I feel somebody kissing my lips.

"Curly..." I say with a smile drawing on my face "ya shoulnd't do dat... I'm halfway aslee..." I open my eyes fully, and the smile on my face is instantaneously erased, as soon as I see the face of a guy I have never seen before, right over me. He reeks of alcohol. For a second I am in too much of a shock as to react, until he places his lips over mine again. I feel disgusted and turn my face away "Get off me!" I yell in desperation. "Get off me! Get off me! What the fuck?!" I try to push him away, but he seems too heavy. I just feel his mouth passing over my neck. "Stop it! Help! Somebody!"

"Hey!" I hear Curly's voice yelling at the distance. "Leave her alone!" Curly comes running from the side, and breaks the cup of coffee on the back of the head of the guy. That seems to only piss him off, and he lands a full punch on Curly's face. And given that he was older and bigger than him, Curly fell down to the floor. Then the guy went back into trying to kiss me while I avoided it as much as I could.

Curly stood up, then took his belt from his pants. Jumped over the back of the guy, and placed the belt under his neck, then Curly pulled backwards with all his weight, and the guy immediately started choking.

"YOU. LEAVE. MY GIRL. ALONE!!!" screams Curly in a crazed state.

The guy tries to get up to get the choke hold away from his neck. But he only falls down to the floor taking Curly down at the same time. The guy seems to be unconsious for now. And Curly ended up under his body.

I stood up, and felt almost like falling down with the alcohol still messing up with my head. But I manage to pull myself up, and try to lift the guy's body and get Curly out. I fail miserably at it... But fortunately, Lorleen comes to help. Between the two we manage to move the unconscious guy away from Curly.

Curly seems startled and not entirely on his senses, but mostly unharmed. As for the other guy, he was passed out, but with no major injuries either. And as for me... I'm feeling terrified.

"I heard some screams, what happened?" asks Lorleen.

"I'm not sure..." the adrenaline rush seems to have been enough as to sober me up a bit. "I was sitting with Curly on the couch... then he went to get a coffee for me, but I think I fell asleep for a moment, and then when I woke up, this guy was over me kissing me. So I screamed to get him off from me, but he didn't..."

"And then I came to get him away from her..." says Curly. "I don't know what happened but when I saw him over Ron... Veronica... I just snapped and attacked him."

"Is that what happened?" asks Lorleen. Curly and I nod. "Alright. I think its time for this one here to get out from my house. You two wait here. And don't go anywhere." Lorleen and another guy pick up the passed out one from the floor and take him to another room.

Curly and I sit down again on the couch. As soon as we do, I immediately put my head on his chest and my arms around him just beneath his arms. "Please, don't leave me alone again." I beg to him.

I feel as Curly places his hands over my head "I won't. I promise." he answers me while caressing my head, trying to calm me down.

Some minutes pass, and my heart stops pumping too hard. I'm finally feeling a bit better. I lift my head for a moment and look at Curly, who gives me a saddened smile... "Please... just hold me for now." I ask him softly. And so he did.

Lorleen took some minutes to come back. "Are you two alright?" she asks us.

"I'm fine." says Curly.

"I'm mostly scared, but... I guess I'm alright."

"Ok... that's good to hear. Don't worry about that guy, Veronica. He won't be bothering you again. Unfortunately, I think it's time for both of you to go home. There are a lot more drukards here, and as time passes it will simply get worse. If something bad happens to either one of you, I would be in VERY BIG PROBLEMS. And also I don't think I could live with myself if something bad happens to my little cousin. I'll call a taxi to get you home. I'll pay for the bill, so don't worry about it."

"Thank you." I say to her.

"Don't even mention it. Seriously, just don't. I could get in trouble for it." He looks at both of us for a second, at the way that Curly is holding me between his arms and adds "You two look cute together." I feel myself blushing again. "Veronica, could you please come with me for a second, I want to say something to you. in private."

"Ahm... sure?" I look at Curly for a moment and simply nods that I should go with her.

Lorleen takes me to a different room, and with a serious face starts speaking.

"My cousin is not the most stable kid, emotionally speaking. He can even be scary sometimes, but he has a good heart in him. And I really care for him. So please, don't be too harsh on him if you end up breaking up with him. You already made him cry once... miss Ronda Lloyd."

I flinch back at that... "How did you know who I am?"

"Please... Do you think I wouldn't notice that he even blackmailed me to come to a costume party? It's obvious that he was hiding something. Or rather... someone. You haven't taken that mask from your face the whole night, so it's obvious that it was you who he was hiding. Also, you called him 'Curly', and only his school partners call him that. He told me what happened years ago. For a while you were the only thing he talked about. Don't worry, I won't be telling anybody about you coming here. Look, Taddy is a good kid, even if a little strange at times. And he is madly in love with you. So please try not to hurt him too much."

"I..." my mind is blank once more "I'll try not to..."

"Very well... I'll call the taxi, go and wait with him. At least try to enjoy the last minutes both of you have in the party. Go home and go to sleep. And tomorrow you can think on what I told you with a clear head, since I know that both of you were drinking and therefore you are not exactly in your best skills to do that right now."

Lorleen... you are officially one of the scariest persons I have ever met in my life...

\------------------------

I'm sitting back at the couch with Curly, waiting for the taxi to arrive... I have my head over Curly's shoulder, and he has his arm around my back. The color of the golden curtains reminded me of Nadine's goldilocks... I remember that we once made Arnold and Gerald dress up as giant insects for a group project... that was so freaking hilarious. Nadine... She has always been my best friend... She is almost like a sister to me. And I haven't talked with her in months... Why didn't I talk with her anymore? I can't remember... I'm getting wattery eyes as I think about her... I feel a crushing sensation on my chest... I really need to talk with her now... I feel so confused... Curly blackmailing me... and that for some reason I don't hate him for it... the party... all the kisses we've had...

"Nadine..." I say in a whimper, as I begin to cry. I'm not sure if Curly heard it... I hope he didn't... He said nothing and just held me tightly in his arms.

The taxi arrived. Lorleen payed the driver in advance as she promised, and then we hopped inside. The whole ride I kept my head on Curly's lap, feeling too tired to talk, and my head still not quite clear from the alcohol.

The trip was quick, and I finally find myself just outside of my home. I kiss Curly on the cheek, I wish him good night and go inside, as the taxi drives Curly away towards his own home. Mom and Dad yell at me for arriving late and halfway drunk. I am just too tired to argue, so I let them yell at me and I say nothing. When they are finally tired of yelling at me, I just head onto my bed and lay down to try to sleep.

Curly... I Haven't seen you fight like that for nobody... You did for me... I feel my tears again forming on my eyes, knowing that we can't really be together... Ronda, you fool... This will burn both of us...


	5. Heartache

The party was on a friday. Half the saturday I spent it with a horrible headache and hearing my parents lecturing me about not drinking. And the other half I spent it locked in my room grounded, just as I would have to during the whole week. I told my parents that I had goneout with Peabod Kid and others from the Country club, and they believed it... I'm sorry, Curly, but I just can't tell them about you...

Sunday arrived. And to my surprise... also did Curly. He appeared on my front door and my parents let him inside, after he told them that we had an assigment due tomorrow. He is sitting right next to me in my room.

"What are you doing here, Curly?" I ask him politely. "We don't have any assignments."

"I know. I just wanted to check up on you. How are you holding?"

"I'm... OK, I guess..." My hand moves over his hand, and starts drawing circles over it... "And you? How are you? You know... after that punch you received." There is a slight bruising on his face.

"Meh... I've had worse. I'll get over it." he says giving little importance to it "I also wanted to apologize. The party didn't exactly went as I imagined."

"No, no... it was..."

"A total disaster. Don't worry, I know it."

I smile a little. "Not entirely... I liked dancing with you. You can be sweet when you want to, Curly." I place my head on his shoulder for a momet, and he passes his hand over mine. "Ahm... you know we are alone right now. Am I not supposed to be your slave when we are alone?"

"How about if I just treat you as my girl, instead? Even if it's just when we are alone."

I put my arms over him now, while I feel my face warm. "That could work too..." I say almost in a whisper.

We both look at eachother's eyes for a second. And then I feel his lips touching mine. They start feeling for eachother. Opening and closing continually. Then his tongue comes inside my mouth, and I close my lips over it, while my tongue also reaches out to his.

We place our hands on the otherone's neck, caressing it slightly. The tickling on my neck feels so good. My breathing gets accelerated. And then I feel Curly's lips sliding up and down on my neck. It's not long before I start moaning once more...

"C-Curly..." my voice leaves my body in a high pitch. I slide my hands over his back, feeling strangely happy. My body starts getting hotter with every second that passes.

As just as suddenly as it started... Curly stopped kissing me.

I need some seconds to catch my breath "Why... did you... stop?" I ask confused and feeling my head up in a cloud.

"Maybe we shouldn't go on..." he says.

"What?" I say still halfway lost in the clouds.

"Do you do this just because I blackmailed you?"

"Ahm... Why do you ask me that right now?" my breathing is still too fast.

"We should stop... You are right. This is not going to end up well."

He looks at my eyes for a second, and places his hand on my cheek. Then he gives me one kiss on the forehead, and moves away. He stands up and starts picking up his things as if he were going to leave.

I feel something overtake me... Is this pain? Anger? No... no, this is not gonna end here... not now... not yet.

I stand up suddenly in an impulse, I grab Curly's arm and pull him towards me. I embrace him tightly and kiss his lips with little restrain. He seems surprised about it. I am surprised about it. I feel his arms surround me again, while our breathing gets more accelerated. This time, I am the one that kisses his neck, while he suddenly also starts doing the same, and I feel as we begin to have a strange fight between the two, to see who gets the most moans from the other with our kisses. Oh My God... what are we doing?

Curly starts pushing me towards the bed, I put little resistance as I feel myself sitting down, and then lying on it for a moment just before I feel Curly lying over me, and kissing me again. I hold him tightly between my arms, and feel his hands sliding beneath my shirt, and over my breasts... He starts massaging them and caressing them all over... I feel my nipples hardening. I feel the now familiar sensation of euphoria building up inside me... "Don't stop!" I yell quietly with my voice moaning all over.

My arms run down his back, and beneath his shirt. I keep moving them up until his shirt is off. Immediately, I also start taking my own shirt off, and I feel as Curly helps me do it. Our warm skins start touching. Now the only thing I have on from the waist up is my bra. Curly's hands slide within, and keep stimulating my breasts. He is moving his fingers in circles, and pinching my nipples with tenderness. This is too much... my head is spinning... my mind is going blank...

"Yyaahh!!!" I let out a yell as my body has that terrible sensation of pleasure invading me all over. I feel that my panties are completely soaked... Why?

I look into Curly's eyes, and he then kisses my lips with as much passion as before. His right hand starts sliding down my belly while he touches my face with the left one. His hand gets inside my dress, just above my panties. He starts touching me between my legs... An even stronger sensation starts filling me. Even stronger than the one I just felt over my breasts. My hips start moving back and forth on their own... What is this?

I slide my own hands all over his body. I grab his buttcheeks for a moment, and hold them tightly. Why did I do that? I don't know. Then I also hug him with my legs. I'm holding him between my arms and legs so that he may never leave me... Curly... my Curly...

My right hand gets inside his pants, and I feel that he is hard between his legs. I'm no dummy... I know what it is... I've never actually felt one... It's a strange sensation to have one inside my hand. Still, I start playing with it, sliding my hand over it. I feel as Curly moves his hips over my hands. You are feeling good too, aren't you?

"R-Ronda..." he calls my name in a whisper.

"Curly..." I say his filled with pleasure.

The minutes go by as we play this strange game with the body of the other... Our voices keep moaning with each passing second. And by some fated destiny, I feel another euphoric sensation overtake me, as I feel my panties getting completely soaked. All the while Curly moves his hips faster, and something liquid comes out from his special place, and over my hand.

He pushes my hand out of his pants, and takes his hand out of my dress. We are both heavily breathing. That doesn't stop us from sharing one last deep kiss on the other's mouth. We end up cutting the kiss after some seconds, feeling satisfied of being with eachother in this very moment.

"How are you feeling?" he asks me.

"I have no idea..." my head is in the clouds and I feel my heart beating way too fast, but it starts calming down.

"We have to get clean, now." He tells me.

"There are some tissues in my nightstand. We can use those."

So we did. We cleaned our hands and our bodies with some tissues. We both got dressed up again, and ended up lying on the bed once more, looking at the other's eyes, and kissing calmedly for a while.

"So... have you ever had an orgasm before?" he asks me after a while.

"A what?"

"An orgasm? You know... the feeling you get when you get touched... down there. Between your legs."

"Is that how it's called?"

"Well... yeah."

"The first time I did was when you touched my breasts the other day. And this is the first time I feel it between my legs."

"Oh... oh wow..." he says surprised.

"What?"

"No... nothing... it's just that... it's not exactly the first time that I have one. But it is the first time I have one with someone else. I'm glad it was with you."

"Th-thanks." I'm blushing again. Something inside of me pushes me to embrace Curly between my arms. "Why did we do this, Curly? We can't do this... we shouldn't have done it."

"Ronda... I did it because I love you... why did you?"

"I-I'm not sure... You were blackmailing me... at first."

"But I was going to stop. I told you that we should... then you threw yourself over me. For a second I thought that maybe you did fall in love with me."

My heart is aching... "Please, don't say that... that can't be happening... It just can't happen..."

"Why not? Your status? Your name? Is that it?"

"No... not exactly."

"Then why?"

I feel a ball sticked on the entrance of my stomach "Because if I am in love with you... but we won't be able to be together... then I'm going to die from heartache..." My eyes are filled with tears, and I place my hand on Curly's face. "I don't want that... Curly... my Curly..." I start crying without restrain. Curly immediately surrounds me with his arms and holds me closely to him. "What are we doing?" I sob on his arms. "This hurts so much... why did we do this?"

"I'm sorry..." he says to me as he embraces me and caresses the back of my head "I never wanted to harm you. I just wanted to make you happy, and maybe have a good memory with you. Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe we really are not meant to be together. I just... wanted to have your love so badly... I still do... was that really too selfish from my part?"

"I don't know... I don't know anything anymore... Can we just hold each other for a moment? Lets pretend for a moment that we can just stay on the other's arms forever... please... I just need it right now."

I place my arms on Curly's back beneath his arms, and he covers me with his own. I wish this moment would last forever... But it eventually comes to an end.

Curly lifts my head with his hand and puts a quick kiss over my lips "Tomorrow I will do something for you. I'm not sure if it's the right thing to do. But I have to try. If I hurt you too much... please forgive me."

"Whatever you do... whatever happens... please don't forget about me." I lift my head and look at his eyes... they are so black... and I know that so are mine. "I won't forget about you... I want you to know, that you are a good memory." I place my head on his chest for a moment "No matter what happens."

Curly and I spent some more time embraced. But then it was time for him to go home. The rest of the day I had a strange feeling of numbness and sadness. I don't want this to be over... not really... what am I going to do?


	6. Surprise

All day I've been avoiding Curly as much as I can. When I saw him in class, I immediately felt blushing, and went onto my seat trying to pretend that nothing is happening. Now I am in the cafeteria during recess with half my mind still stuck on him.

"Hello, Ronda." Peabod Kid is always well dressed, even when at school. He is like me in that regard. Hell, he is like me in many aspects. "I haven't seen you at the country club recently. You're looking stressed. Is there something wrong?"

"Hi, Peabod." The whole day I've been feeling strangely confused. I don't know what I'm feeling for Curly now, and I've been overthinking all day on what is going on between the two of us. That and the fact that I still feel that I have nobody to talk to... REALLY talk to, since Nadine and I stopped talking have been eating me from inside out. "No. I'm fine. I've been... busy." That is too obviously a lie...

"Really? What has been cluttering your days, girl?"

"No... nothing... It's just... chores."

"Chores?" Peabod has a strange look on his face... he's not buying this. "What kind of chores keep you trembling all day? And away from your friends at the Club? Come on. You can tell me."

"Ahm..." No way in hell can I admit anything to him about Curly. "It's just... I really miss talking to Nadine."

"Oh. Yes. The girl that likes to play with insects. She went with the advanced students this year. I have always found it strange that normal students and advanced students are at odds with each other. And been in the majority, the normal kids usually ostracize the advanced ones. It seems to be an implicit hierarchy in ranks." he smirks for a moment "But I don't have to tell you anything about it, right? Since people like us are on top. And the instant that they choose the advance class they fall down to the bottom. Usually becoming target to pranks like being stuck in a locker, or being pushed around, or even having their stuff stolen." I think that for a fraction of a second I saw Peabod having an angered look on his face, but it vanished immediately, and turned again into that same calmed expression he usually has. "And therefore people like them can't be seen with people like us."

"Yeah..." Never in my life have I felt so much anger towards somebody telling me the things that I already know.

"So, is that what is bothering you, Ronda?"

"Yeah... Peabod, do me a solid, and get the hell out of my sight..."

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No. You said everything right. And that is really pissing me off right now. And if you don't get out of my face, I'm going to punch you!" My expression must have been enough as for him to understand that I'm not joking.

"Ahm... I'm sorry if I offended you. I will speak with you some other time." he gives a polite reverence and moves away... why the hell did I do that?

\------------------------

Minutes before the class begins again, I fid myself walking towards the classroom, and out of the blue, Curly comes close to me.

"My lady, I received your message. You wanted to talk to me." said Curly to me.

"What? No. I..." In a split second I see that he winks at me. "Oh... oh yeah... now I remember, come with me..."

I take Curly away from everyone around us, and find an empty room where we can talk alone.

"How have you been?" he asks me.

"I'm... alright... just a little confused." I'm blushing again. "How about you?"

"In all honesty, I've been happier than what I've been in a long time." He is also blushing. "Thank you, for that."

"Ahm..." My heart just skipped a beat. "Did you wanted to tell me something?"

"Yes... I wanted to ask you if I could go to your home today. There is something that really needs to be done, and it is long overdue."

"What is it?"

"I can't tell you. It's a surprise of sorts."

"What are you planning, Curly?"

"I already told you. I can't tell you. We can pretend that it's because of homework. But I really need to know if you are going to be at home today."

"Well... I'm grounded, so yeah."

"Yeah... I really didn't thought that one through." says Curly scratching his head "Sorry for getting you in trouble."

"Don't mention it..."

Curly moves his head around for a moment, and without saying anything else he jumps over me and places his lips on mine, and then just sets back almost immediately.

"I'm sorry..." he says "I couldn't resist it."

I lower my head as I feel my tears starting to flow from my eyes. "Please... not in school." I say while my heart crushes down. He looks away, and I can tell that he is hurt. "I'm sorry, Curly. But you know my situation."

"Yeah... I do. And I also know mine." He places his hands on my cheeks and cleans the tears from them. For a second I hold his warm hand on my face with my own hand.

"I'll see you at my home, then." I say softly.

We both stare at each other for a moment, and then I go out from the room, while he waits for a moment so nobody sees us together.

I walk back to class cursing my own status... for the first time in my life...

\------------------------

The day went by quickly. I went back home and threw myself on my bed as I waited for Curly to arrive. I coldn't help thinking on what Peabod Kid had said. People like us shouldn't be seen with the ones down below. Why not? What is so wrong about it? Just a couple of weeks ago, that was a given that I have not questioned before. It simply was the way that things were. How did it come to happen in the first place? Was it always like that? Why is it still that way?

And as for Curly... he said that there was something long overdue. What could that be? It's not like we've actually been in this situation for longer than some weeks.

My mind kept on going through similar questions, until finally I heard somebody ringing the doorbell. Curly was here.

My parents opened the door, and I walked downstairs to greet him. And there he was indeed... and also, to my surprise, I recognized the dark skin and goldilocks of Nadine standing beside him. I freeze in my place for a couple of seconds.

She looks towards me, and awkwardly says "Hello, Ronda. It has been a while."

I don't say anything, and just run towards her and hold her in my arms, as I feel a cascade of pain and relieve at the same time crossing my heart. Nadine immediately puts her arms around me too.

"I've missed you." I tell her.

"Me too." she answers back.

For a second we both stay like that... until I hear Curly clearing his throat.

"Oh... Hello, Curly." I let go from Nadine, as I feel a smile drawing on my face. "Ahm... is this the surprise you talked to me about?"

He smiles at me and says "SURPRISE!!!" in a very enthusiastic way. I can't help but laugh now... Oh what the hell... I hold him between my arms for a moment too as I finally feel some relieve from all the drag I've felt all day.

\------------------------

Nadine, Curly and I went to my room to talk for a while.

"So, Ronda..." said Nadine "Curly told me that he has been helping you with your math work. How is it going for you?" For a second I turn my head towards Curly, and he winks at me without Nadine noticing... I get the hint... she doesn't know.

"He has helped me enough." I try to hide the blush I'm feeling right now. "But I have to ask... How have you been?"

"Well... If you must know... Since I started the advanced classes, everything in school has gotten worse."

"What happened?"

"For starters, the classes were far more difficult than what I imagined. I've been having trouble following them lately. Not only that but, since everyone at the school treats the nerds as a lower class, I've been having problems with other people. I've been locked several times in a locker, or worse still, somebody opened my locker and stole my things from there. I had to buy almost all my books again... which also delayed me even more. And since we stopped talking, I've been feeling really depressed. But I also talked with Curly, and he has helped a little bit. It's strange, actually. I used to make fun of Curly getting bullied before... until it happened to me... after that I stopped mocking anyone for it." She stops for a second. "You were right, you know... It was practically social suicide. Not only that, but the few that actually tried to stay friends with me afterwards got bullied too, and since then they all got away from me. Only other brainiacs and nerds still talk to me in school. And since all of us go through similar experiences, we have that in common. We are... a very close bunch of weirdos." she puts on a smile that gets erased quickly.

The words of Peabod Kid came to my head. My blood is boiling right now. Nadine has always been a good friend. She got ostracized for no reason. Even I cast her away.

"I'm sorry." I tell her with my sincerest apology. "I should have been by your side... I was being too selfish."

"Well. To be honest I'm not entirely sure if that would have been good for either one of us. I mean... it would have been nice at first... but if something bad happened to you for it... well... lets just say that I prefer to know that you are fine."

I can't hold myself back, and I get Nadine in my arms. "I feel so stupid right now. I was so concerned about my image with others that I sacrificed my relationship with my best friend. Just when you needed me most. I should have been by your side. I should have supported your decision. But I was too focused on myself." I get my hands away from her and sit back down before continuing. "Nadine, we've been friends since we were four years old. We are practically sisters. I'm not going to make that mistake again."

"Thank you, Ronda. I'm glad to know that. And if you are concerned about your image... We can keep the interactions in school at a minimum. And then hangout afterwards. Sounds fair?"

I think about it for a while... And the more I think on it, the angrier it makes me feel. "No. It doesn't sound fair. We are friends, inside and outside the school. I don't care anymore what others say about it. If somebody messes with you, they mess with me, and no one messes with Ronda Wellington Lloyd, and gets away with it."

For a second Nadine and I remain quiet. And the silence is interrupted by Curly's laughter which sounds deep, and slightly scary to be honest. And suddenly he falls silent again looking at me "I am proud of you, Ronda." is the only thing he says afterwards. I instantaneously feel my face getting too warm.

"Proud?" says Nadine looking at Curly, and then at me, noticing my face red as a tomato... Nadine's eyes get widened in an instant... "Oh god... Are you two...? Like... you know... both of you?"

"Ahm..." My mind gets entirely blank and I don't give an answer "Ahm..."

"Oh my god, you are..." Says Nadine, and only too late do I realise that not giving an answer actually gave away the answer.

"Nadine, do me a favour." says Curly now. "Don't say anything about it. To nobody. This stays just between us. OK?"

"Ah... sure..." answers Nadine with a calmed tone "I wouldn't like to mess up... whatever it is that both of you have." Nadine looks at Curly for an instant "You are a very lucky guy, Curly. Don't harm my sister here." Adds Nadine tilting her head towards me.

"Not in a million years." he answers, and I feel my face even more warm... If right now a lightning bolt would fall on me, I would not mind it in the least...


	7. Bottling up.

A sensation of positiveness flows through my body. I'm feeling so cheerful today. Nadine and I sat together and we are getting along again. I have felt some people looking at us dissaprovingly, since she is part of 'the nerds' now. I don't care anymore. She is my friend, and I will stand by her this time.

At some point during the ride, someone threw a paper ball at her head. I was not going to let that slide that easily.

"Who threw that?!" I asked to the lot of people behind us. No one answered. "Who threw that?!"

"Sit down, Ronda." Says Nadine "It's OK. It doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters! Look, I did wrong by not being your friend before, but that is not going to happen again." I see Nadine smile with gratefulness. I turn my head again to the people behind me "Listen! All of you! I don't care who it was, but Nadine is out of bounds for all of you! No matter who it is! So you won't be picking on her anymore!"

"And if somebody does?" asks Harold with a sardonic smile. It was him... I have no proof, but I also have no doubts.

"Listen here, fatso. I don't care who you think you are, but mess with Nadine, and me and some friends will show you what a colonoscopy with a boot feels like."

"A colo-what?" he asks with a confused expression on his face.

"Too sutil? Do I have to draw a picture for you?"

"Of what?" his confused expression has not changed.

Nadine pulls at my side containing the laughter. "Ronda, it's OK. Sit down, seriously." she keeps on smiling as I do... "I appreciate what you are trying to do, but take it easy. I'll be fine."

I smile at her too. "I know you will."

The rest of the ride we talked all the way. I also noticed that Curly was looking at us from time to time, and he has a wide smile on his face. All of this probably would not have happened without him.

\------------------------

The morning went by quickly. And as it went by, I caught myself staring at Curly from time to time. I don't know why... it just started to happen and I barely noticed it. He doesn't look any different... He doesn't talk any different... Why can't I stop looking back at him? He also looked back at me a couple of times and smiled at me. I can't stop myself from doing the same, even if we don't say a single word to eachother.

Recess came by, and today I sat down with Nadine. She seems happier too from what I saw yesterday. It's funny, somehow... If Nadine and I wouldn't have gotten apart from eachother, nothing of what is happening with Curly would have happened. And yet, without Curly, I'm not sure if I would have had the courage to be friends with Nadine again. I guess life has it's strange ways of turning your expectations upside down.

After lunch Nadine had to go to her classroom and I had to go to mine. As I did, I saw a group of boys in a circle: Stinky, Harold, Sid, and at the center, Curly... Oh God Damn It... As I came closer, I see that they are picking on him again.

"What do you have there, Curly?" said Harold trying to take a soda bottle from Curly's hand. "A soda bottle? You should share it with your friends, right?"

"Perhaps I should. Problem is, my friends aren't here." said Curly trying to walk past them, but both Sid and Stinky blocked his path. Harold then snatched the bottle from his hand.

"You've been doing alright in classes too, Curly." said Harold again "Are you trying to make the rest of us look bad?"

"Oh, not at all, Harold. I can't make you look worse than what nature already did."

"What?"

"Nothing, I just said that nature made you look as good as a masterpiece of abstract art."

"You're damn right on that."

"Harold, that wasn't a compliment." said Sid.

"Well Sid, you are as sharp as training scissors and as bright as charcoal, ain't ya?"

Harold then landed a sucker punch on Curly's stomach.

"Try to be clever again, come on." he said.

"I would..." Curly held his stomach and started coughing "But trying to... understand what I say... might cause you an aneurysm."

"A what?"

"Yeah... just like that."

"He insulted you again, Harold." said Stinky.

"OK, I've had enough of you." said Harold. "Stinky, hold him."

Stinky got Curly's arms trapped behind his back, and then Harold started beating him.

"Hey!" I yell at them. "What the hell are you doing? Leave him alone."

"Oh, look. Ronda came to rescue you again." said Sid. "It's funny that a girl has to protect you, Curly."

"He is my property, I told you."

"I reckon that you seem pretty concerned about him, Ronda." said Stinky. "Is he your boyfriend?" he said with a mocking smile on his face.

A cold chill went down my spine "No! Of course not!" I yell it out... but I'm not convinced of my words.

"That is funny. I've noticed that you have been staring at Curly all day." said Sid looking at me with a sardonic smile.

"Ahm... No I haven't... well, I have but it's because he is... a total weirdo. That is all." I feel my cheeks getting warm again. Not now... please not now.

"Your face is all red... Oh my god, you are blushing! For Curly!" Sid began cackling and laughing at me.

"No! I am not!" The more I say it, the warmer my face gets... god damn it.

"Hey, everyone, look at this! Ronda likes Curly! Ronda likes Curly!"

"No, I don't! Quit it!"

"You say that, you've been saying that he is your property. And lets be honest that is just a code word to say that he is your boyfriend."

I feel an impulse to punch Sid on his too long of a nose right now... but I can't do that... not yet.

"He. is. not. my. boyfriend!!!"

"That's right, Sid" said Stinky. "I reckon that Curly cannot be Ronda's boyfriend, that would be ridiculous. Could you imagine the little weirdo kissing the pretty princess?"

Sid, and Stinky's laughter echoed through the hallway... for some reason it gets my blood boiling... But I cannot react to it... I must not.

"Say, Ronda." continued Sid this time. "Since he is just your slave and not really your boyfriend, then you should have no problem in emptying the soda bottle over him. Why don't you do that? That should be enough as to proof that he really is your property, and not your boyfriend."

Harold then puts the soda bottle on my hands with a smile on his face. For some reason I feel it heavier than it should be. I feel a cold sensation running down my spine. My heart has stopped pumping. I look at Curly, and see that he is breathing heavily from the punches he just received. He doesn't say anything to me. He just stares at me, with the reflection of a single question through those eyes... will I do it?

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Says Stinky still holding him. "Or is it that he really is your boyfriend?"

Everyone is staring in our direction... What do I do now? I'm frozen in my position.

"Come on! Do it!" says Harold as he also starts pressuring me to go for it.

I can't take the pressure anymore... my hand starts moving almost on its own, tilting the bottle little by little. The liquid comes out of the bottle and onto Curly's hair, face and then clothes... He closes his eyes as his face is distorted into an enraged expression... Each drop of liquid... I feel it as if I'm betraying him... I feel horrible... I am horrible... I'm sorry, Curly... I'm so sorry.

The bottle is empty. And so is my soul.

"OK. Let him go now." I tell Stinky, with a shaky voice. "He... is my property." Right now I can't look at Curly in the eyes, so I just look elsewhere.

Stinky finally lets him go, and he falls on his knees. All three of them started laughing and then went away...

After they are gone, I come closer to Curly, and try to help him get up... but he slaps my hand away.

"Don't touch me..." He says with rage. He stood up, and straightened his back. "I'm accustomed to be abused by everybody. I can take it from most. But you, Ronda... after everything we've done together... I thought maybe you would have treated me better. Apparently, I was wrong." He narrows his eyes as he looks at me. "I promise you that you will pay me this one."

"I... I'm sorry." It's the only thing I manage to say.

"No... you are not sorry yet." he says with a shaky voice and I notice a tear running down his cheek, just before he turns around and walks away.

"Curly, I..." I try to say something to him... anything... but I can't think of anything to say. So I stand there feeling embarrassed and hating myself as I see him getting away from me. And a sensation of dread invades me again... And to think that today I was feeling so happy just this morning.

\------------------------

Curly didn't attend the rest of the classes for today... He probably went home... He probably hates me... Why did I do that to him? What did I gain? I can't think of anything good from that... I mean... He knows that I have to keep my status... he knew it all along... It's not my fault that he is still at the bottom... It's not my fault that I am on top... damn it... The more I think of it the worse it makes me feel.

After classes I went home. I also avoided Nadine for now... I wouldn't be friends with her again if not for Curly, and seeing her right now would simply remind me of that continuosly. I'm just trying not to hate myself for today.

As I am entering my house, I feel a hand over my shoulder, and as I turn my head I see Curly standing right next to me. I jump backwards from the surprise.

"Curly!" my heart is pumping too rapidly again. "What the hell?! You startled me! What are you doing here?" I notice that he no longer has the same clothes as before, so he probably went home to change and came back.

"What are you talking about? I still have to help you with your homework, don't I?" He is staring at me with a too-serious expression on his face.

"Ahm..." I'm again out of words. What the hell do I tell him now?

"Well, are we going to stand here all day, or are we going to enter?"

"Ahm... aren't you angry at me?"

"What do you think?" he says with still that same serious expression on his face.

"You seem angry."

"Well, then lets go with that."

"Look, Curly, I said I was sorry, and I..."

"...You have to keep your appearances. Don't you?" he completed the phrase for me. "And as before I will not try to make you change that."

"What do you want then?"

He looks at me, smiles and says "Lets go inside. You'll find out soon enough."

That does not sound good at all. I have a strange gut feeling that I should not let him in. Not today... not today...

And yet... I also want to know what he means.

I open the door and let him in. My parents aren't home right now. As we go into my room, I feel my heart pumping rapidly as I'm filled with nervousness.

"Alright." I say with a very weak voice. "Here we are." I can't look at him in the eyes right now.

"Tell me. Did you enjoy humiliating me?" he asks me.

"No. Not really. I felt... kind of horrible."

He smiles at me, and puts his hand on my cheek. "Then I guess I can forgive you." I raise my head and my eyes can finally meet with his for a second. "After you have payed the price." He comes closer to me, and puts his lips on mine. I instinctively start kissing him back. I can't stop a sensation of bliss invading me. After some seconds, I step away from the kiss.

"W-what price?" I manage to say with my breath slightly weaker than normal

He turned around and grabbed his backpack, and took out a soda bottle from it.

"I will do to you what you did to me, though in a slightly different manner."

"W-what do you mean?"

"You will see, my little Ronda. Because out there, in school, in front of everyone, in order to keep your appearances, I am your property. Basically, I'm practically yours. But here, when we are alone..." he embraces me tightly "You are mine. And I will make sure that you remember it." And as soon as he finished saying it, he started kissing my neck and caressing it with his lips and tongue.

My breath starts getting heavier. My heart pumps harder as I anticipate what is to come next... What is he going to do with that soda?

He starts pushing me towards my bed, then makes me fall over it. He immediately puts his body over mine while he still kisses my neck sliding one of his hands inside my sweater and over my belly. I place my hands around his back and put one of them inside his shirt.

I start feeling at ease now... We've done this before... It's not so bad... My mind starts drifting on its own and I start slipping into the pleasure.

Curly takes off my sweater and my shirt over my shoulders and throws them to the ground. He then stops for a second and looks at me with that same serious expression on his face. "It's time, sweetheart." he whispers as he starts taking my bra off.

I instinctively cover my breasts as I feel exposed to him. I feel ashamed an embarrassed so I can't look at his eyes for now... that is until he turns my head towards him and I notice that his eyes are black as night right now... He really likes looking at me like this. I feel as he puts his lips over mine again, so I close my eyes and let our tongues play with each other for a while.

He also takes his shirt off now, and I feel as his warm skin falls on me and we continue kissing. My hands pass all over his chest and back... I feel his hands touching my breasts and the ecstasy starts making my senses go wild. I start moaning as his fingers pass over my nipples carefully and smoothly... Oh my god... My head is spinning... I can't stop myself and I hold him tightly in my arms and kiss him with as much passion as I can.

After some seconds, he stops and pushes me slightly away... "Are you ready to pay the price?"

I can't think clearly... my head is in the clouds roght now... "What are you gonna do?"

"I told you. I will do what you did to me, but slightly different."

I see as he opens the soda bottle in his hand with his teeth and throws the cap to the side. He then holds the bottle over my chest and starts tilting it slowly. A couple of drops of the cold liquid falls over my skin between my breasts and then he stops. He then puts his head over it and starts licking the soda from my body.

I let out a loud moan as I feel the warmth of his mouth taking away the cold of the soda. Then he raises again, and lets some more drops fall over my breasts. I feel the cold over my nipples and that gets them harder than before. He then licks all over them. The cold made them more sensible and I'm having the most delicious sensation running all over me. Soon enough I am feeling the now-familiar sensation of euphoria, coursing through my head and sending me down a spiral of pleasure, as my mouth lets out a silent scream that Curly notices.

I place my hands over his head and press it against my chest... Why are we doing this? I can't remember anymore... It's not like I care anyway.

Curly then moves again and now lets a small amount of the soda fall over my lips... some enter my mouth, and I feel its cold sweetness refreshing me... some gets down my neck. Curly then immediately licks all of the soda from my neck, and starts working his way up until he reaches my lips, and kisses me with passion.

He puts the bottle aside and says "How are you feeling?"

"I... I don't know..." I should feel disgusted by this... but that is in no way what I'm feeling right now... I should feel ashamed for being naked from the waist up, and yet I don't feel that either... I feel... happy...

I put my hands around his neck and close my eyes as a smile is drawn on my face. "You are so crazy." I tell him as I rub my cheek on his. "Thank you for this... If this is the price I have to pay for what I did... I'll let you charge me again."

He laughs as he passes his hand over my belly again "Ronda, Ronda, My Ronda... What should I do with you now? Should I do the same again but this time a little bit lower?" he slides his hand inside my pants, and starts playing with my most private parts... I'm moaning again...

"I... I did hurt you today." The pleasure is invading me again and I can't think straight "If that is what you want... then do so..." I say with my voice coming out of my body in a high pitch as I surrender to whatever he wants to do to me right now.

I feel his hand getting out of my pants and start unbuttoning my pants... Oh my god... are we really doing this? Is this actually happening? Why am I letting this happen? Why do I feel so excited about it?

Curly slides my pants and panties down my legs. I'm feeling so wet between my legs.

He takes the bottle once more and starts pouring the cold liquid over my belly, and then again drinks it over and over again... The cold soda is spilled a little lower every time does it... until... I feel the cold right between my legs, and then immediately Curly's lips and tongue over it... "OH GOD!!!" I yell without control... I'm so glad nobody is home aside from us right now... otherwise my parents would have definitely heard that...

His lips are kissing me and giving little suctions over me... "C-Curly... it's... it's too much... too... intense. Oh god! C-Curly!" The pleasure is unbearable... the sensations all over me are overwhelming... I have my mind giving a trip all over heaven right now as I'm having another orgasm... Curly... My Curly...

I push his head away from my most intimate area just as I make a hand gesture to make him come closer to my head. I take the bottle from his hands, and take a large drink from it... The sweetness and cold gets me back to my senses, at least a little bit. Then I put the bottle back in his hand "Finish it." I ask him and he drinks the rest of the bottle immediately. "Now, come here..."

I take Curly between my arms, and kiss him on the lips... tastes so sweet... and with my head as high in the clouds as it is right now, I don't care anymore about anything except holding him as close towards me as I can. I hold his hand, and he presses mine as a response... We are embracing so hard against eachother... I don't want this to ever end...

My heart is finally calming down after all that we just experienced. I feel at home with him by my side. I feel happy. And only then do I finally realise something... I've been lying to everybody about it... even to myself... I'm in love with Curly... I can't deny it anymore... at least not to myself...

And only then does another dark thought intrudes my mind. 'This is an illusion.' says the cruel thought 'You can never admit to the world that you love him. And you will only keep on hurting him again and again.' My eyes are filled with tears now.

"Ronda?" says Curly as he notices my cheeks getting wet by my tears "Something wrong?"

I smile at him with my sincerest smile, even if it's fake "No. Everything is fine. I'm just so happy to have you with me right now... And sometimes I cry when I am too happy." My voice comes out halfway broken, even when I try to hide it. I embrace him tightly against me.

I don't want to let you go... not yet... I simply like being with you too much... Even when I know I will hurt you... Please, Curly... forgive me... I'm such a horrible person...


End file.
